How do you feel about cold weather?

Where to start. Personally, I get cold easily. I don’t like to be cold. So being out in the cold weather, I need to bundle up and get where I am going quickly.

But, I love the thought of cold weather because it makes me think of beautiful, wonderful things.

My mother‘s name was Betty Jane Barrett Stoops. I miss her every day. She loved snow. Maybe not the typical things we all avoid about snow – like getting stuck in it – but she gave me such lovely memories of snow.

She loved to sit in the kitchen bay window with a nice, hot cup of coffee and watch the snow fall. The birds would gather at the suet log she would fill with fat and birdseed. So many winter birds flocking around the base of the bird feeders and along the ground gathering all the fallen seeds.

There was always cocoa on the stove and the smell of cookies.

I remember so many times during those cold winter days when we were home inside, watching endearing movies about sleigh rides, and Christmas stories, small towns with gazebos and street lamps.

Christmas was a magical time in our house the way she would decorate each room with lights, trees, candles, ornaments, nativities, and decorations of all sorts. Soft sparkling cotton batting creating a snowy look on top of the piano.

There was always music playing in the background with her lovely voice singing along as she worked away in the house.

This is what cold weather makes me think of. While I don’t like being out in the cold, I love how it makes me feel warm inside.

Sleigh bells, silver bells, Christmas songs, every snowfall, “Buffalo weather,” a blue sky, a chill in the air…. All bring smile to my face and a memory of my mother.

Beautiful memories of my lovely mother, Betty Jane, who I love and miss so very much. I love you Mom.